OPPORTUNITIES to experience the nation’s wood culture as part of a Woodland Heritage initiative will be available in West Somerset during the summer.
Williams and Cleal furniture school is holding open woods and workshop days at Willett Farm, near Stogumber, on June 20 and 21 and again on June 27 and 28.
Visitors will be able to join a walking tour of the Woodland Heritage-owned James Wood, a new productive woodland being created by the charity with a bequest by James Stratton.
There will be a talk on species selection and planting as well as other topics linked to woodland creation and management.
The workshops will feature demonstrations which showcase techniques such as bending wood, as well as talks and a question and answer session.
Williams and Cleal spokesman Justin Williams said: “We are so excited to welcome visitors to our workshop and it is fantastic to be collaborating with Woodland Heritage.
“These are truly special places, not usually open to the public, so come and see the magic of growing trees and using timber.”
Woodland Heritage chief executive John Orchard said: “This is a wonderful opportunity to champion all that is great about growing trees, using wood, and thinking about a better future for generations to come.
“Right now, we are not making the most of what we have.
“The UK is the second-largest net importer of forest products in the world, and at the same time enormous areas of UK woodland sit unmanaged.
“But the situation is not hopeless.
“Open woods and workshops is a chance to meet the people, and see the places that can help us make the change future generations need from us.”